TPR was in no mood to change his mind. He would not marry me, even though he previously said that he would. A particular complication was that we held joint ownership of two properties – a small house and a tatty flat in Birmingham – and it would be a legal nightmare to unpick the finances when it came to selling them.

Someone suggested that my first boyfriend SM could serve as a substitute groom. I found it difficult to explain to my mother that TPR was the only man for me. Even trickier was explaining this to TPR himself.

I considered my position from an excellent vantage point at the Olympic stadium. We were so lucky to have friends who could get us the best tickets. An Albanian boy band was on stage. I loved this music, and saved the voucher on my blue show ticket to buy the album later.

Then RA joined me. He was visiting with JG, AR and PS. All dressed in black, he (and the others) were marking the anniversary of the death of their friend Gareth, who had died of alcohol poisoning some 20 years earlier. RA told me that he was going on holiday in the next few days. He said that I could join him if I wanted to do so.

I wondered whether given that RA was happy to have me has a travelling companion, perhaps he would also be willing to marry me? By now that I was convinced that TPR would not honour his promise to be my groom.